


Lament of the Noah (or The Fall of the Rollins Family)

by TheDemonMidget



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Amnesia, F/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-20 06:22:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9479252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDemonMidget/pseuds/TheDemonMidget
Summary: A story about the Clan of Noah and their ill-fated interactions with a prominent family in the 1920s. Minor changes have been made, mainly the Noah of Lust is not Lulu Bell in this story, but my OC Ayumi instead.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters 1, 2, and 3 were originally part of a story that I began writing back in undergrad for a creative writing class. Some changes have been made while dividing it into these chapters (I literally had to workshop the whole thing before deciding to post it). All of the chapters after 3 will be brand spanking new content. I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter One**

 

The year was 1920.

The night was misty, and foreboding lingered heavily in the air. Lights in the distance were merely orbs of fire, flickering like miniature suns. The search party ventured deeper into the woods while the lord of the manor observed from the balcony of his daughter’s chambers, the door leading out propped open slightly. His younger daughter sat inside with two of the guards, nervously pulling the stitching out of the sleeves of her dress.

“Lord Morgan, surely this has gone far enough.”

Lord Morgan said nothing in reply.

“This is the second search of the woods in a row. If the search party found nothing before, what will make now any different?”

“You think I should give up hope?”

“That’s not what I—“

“You think that I should give up on my oldest daughter?!” Morgan thundered, turning on his companion, “How can you suggest this? She is your fiancée as well, is she not? Do you not fear for her safety?!”

The young man, whose name was Benjamin, drew back slightly, “Of course I worry about her, my lord. I am more so than any man out there,” he pointed to the woods, “but I just don’t think we’ll find anything in the woods now.”

Morgan eyed him furiously, then gradually relaxed and turned back toward the distance. “Perhaps you’re right, Benjamin…I apologize. But I do not want to give up on Rosetta. She is my oldest, and if she is still alive out there, what would she think of her father if he did not search to the ends of the earth for her?”

Inside, his younger daughter Milliana’s face fell. The two guards looked from her to Lord Morgan curiously.

“Well…we should at least call them off for today. It’s getting late, and this mist is turning into fog.”

The aged lord grunted in frustration, then sighed, the fatigue tracing the wrinkles on his face. “Very well…inform the watchmen at the gate to call back the search party.”

“Yes, my lord,” Benjamin nodded, turning and heading inside.

Morgan turned back to the woods once more, staring into the trees as if he could somehow sense his daughter’s presence out there. Even he had to admit that the search was wearing down on him as well as the men who volunteered to search for her.

Rosetta Rollins, the eldest daughter of the Rollins family, left the manor to go into town and visit the family’s banker and discuss the nature of her inheritance once she married her fiancé, Benjamin Lawrence. The journey there would have taken a few hours by car, but Rosetta did not return for two days. Her father, Morgan Rollins immediately began investigating the matter. With Benjamin accompanying him, he went into town and questioned his first suspect, the banker, who informed them that their meeting had ended on time and that he saw Rosetta drive off. Troubled, Morgan and Benjamin headed to the police and informed them of the situation. A search party was formed and sent to search the surrounding roads and towns for any sign of Rosetta’s car. Benjamin himself headed to his hometown in case she might have, for some reason, gone there.

Two days later, the police chief himself made the trip out to the Rollins estate and informed Lord Morgan that his daughter’s car had been found wrecked and abandoned in a ditch near the woods between the town and their estate. Benjamin arrived at the estate shortly after, saying that she was nowhere in his hometown. The search party’s attention was now focused on the woods. The search had since been going on, and two weeks had passed. Everyone was starting to lose hope in the idea that Rosetta was still around, or even alive.

Even Lord Morgan was beginning to lose hope, himself. It pained him to come to this revelation, but he just couldn’t keep deceiving himself anymore. At this point, it was better to accept the hurtful truth and pray that whatever fate had befallen Rosetta, she was in no pain. Slowly, he turned from the balcony, as if it physically hurt to do so, and headed inside.

Upon his entrance, Milliana stood. “Father…?”

He looked upon her with a heavy heart. “I’m sorry, my girl…I’m afraid it’s time we put an end to all of this foolishness.”

“What do you mean? You haven’t given up, have you?”

“It’s been too long, Milliana. We have not found a thing to prove Rosetta is still out there.”

“Is this the nonsense that Benjamin put in your head? He’s awful quick to jump to conclusions, isn’t he?” she narrowed her eyes, “And he’s supposed to be the man marrying her!”

“Please, let’s not get hot with him,” Morgan replied, putting his hands on her shoulders.

“No! I refuse to believe Rosetta is dead!” she snapped, “Benjamin isn’t head of this family, you are, father!” her fists clenched, “He can’t convince you when to end the hunt!”

He stared at his youngest daughter. He’d never heard such a fire in her voice before! It was odd, because since reaching adulthood, the two sisters rarely got along, and often appeared to detest one another. Was it the idea of one being in potential danger that made the other worry so? Morgan looked into Milliana’s eyes and smiled for the first time in weeks.

“I’m sorry, my love.” He said softly, “You’re right…I shouldn’t be giving up so easily. We’ll reconvene the search tomorrow.”

Milliana’s gaze became less intense, but she did not smile back. “…I think I’ll retire now, Father.” Her voice, at least, sounded satisfied.

“Of course, I’ll leave you be.” He let her go and exited the room.

* * *

 

True to his word, Lord Morgan reconvened the search the next night. However, he did so only to find the night literally dampened by a thunderstorm. The search party squelched through the mud and pushed the wet hair out of their eyes, pointing their flashlights forward in a determined manner and despite everything, marched forward. Rather than watching from the balcony of Milliana’s room, Morgan and Benjamin observed from the front entrance of the estate, shielded from the rain by the awning.

“You spoke with her last night?” Benjamin inquired.

Morgan nodded. “I think it’s clear the when we lose someone out of the blue, we realize just how important they are to us. Milliana was quite insistent that we continue searching.” He scratched his beard, “Obviously their relationship as sisters did not die with their mother as I thought.”

“Their mother, my lord?”

“Yes…after her death is when they began to shift apart. Rosetta was completely focused on becoming head of the family, and Milliana saw it as her trying to replace their mother.” He sighed, his heavily-lidded eyes closing, “It was a difficult time for all of us.”

Benjamin nodded slowly, turning back to the lights of the search party, “Yes…truly difficult, indeed.” He was thankful for the dim lighting outside, so Morgan would not notice the sudden furrowing of his brow.

…Meanwhile, in the woods, the search party became momentarily distracted by a shape moving through the trees.

“Over there,” shouted one man, “it ran that way!”

“Could you see who it was?” called another.

“No, it’s too dark!”

“How do you know it’s not just an animal?”

“I’m certain it was a person!”

Three of the men began to give chase. In front of them, the “person” ran zigzags through the tall trunks of the trees, a dimming lantern clutched in one hand. At first, it seemed like he did not know that he was being followed, but after a few minutes, he skidded to a halt and turned abruptly, facing the three men behind him.

“You there,” one of them addressed, “What do you think you’re doing in these woods at this hour?”

The stranger, who turned out to be a young man dressed in rags, blinked raindrops out of his eyes, confused. He looked from one person to the other. “Did you see it too?”

“What? See what?”

“I saw someone moving in here. Someone in a dress. I came in here to follow,” he brandished the lantern in his hand outward, “Did you see it as well?”

The three men looked at one another, puzzled. “Are you saying you saw a person running through here?”

“I think so,” the young man nodded, “A woman.”

Before this odd occurrence could be probed further, it was agreed upon that the young man be brought before Lord Morgan. The men took the young man by the arms and led him out of the woods and toward the estate.

“My lord, look,” Benjamin pointed to the approaching lights, “someone’s coming!”

Taking an umbrella from one of the guards, Morgan opened it and marched forward to meet the search party as they crossed the lawn toward the manor. Benjamin hurried after, pulling his cap over his head.

“What is this?” Morgan stopped a short distance away, “Did you find something?”

The leader of the search party came forward, “My lord, we happened across this boy here in the woods,” he motioned for him to be brought forward, “he claims to have been following someone he saw running through the woods.”

When Morgan laid eyes on the young man, he didn’t know what to think of him. He was in a stained, ragged overcoat and ripped trousers, fingerless gloves on his hands, scuffed shoes on his feet and a filthy scarf around his neck. His hair looked as if it were covered in mud. The most alarming feature was the sight of the young man’s eyes…they were piercing.

“What did you see, boy?”

The young man’s voice was oddly calm as he spoke. “I was walking back to town from a trip, and I saw a figure run across my path. At first sight, I thought it was a ghost, but I came closer when they tripped and tumbled in the ditch. It was a woman in a dress, her hair all messy as if she had fled in fear of something. When she heard me approach, she got up and kept going into the woods. I was concerned, so I gave chase.”

“Did you see her face?” Benjamin asked.

“No, sir. I could barely make out her face in all this rain.”

Morgan closed his eyes momentarily, thinking. On the one hand, it was entirely possible that the woman this boy saw was Rosetta. Her car being found wrecked, it wouldn’t be illogical to assume that someone had ambushed her and tried to kidnap her. On the other hand, it was also possible that this strange boy was lying.

“What say you, my lord?” asked the search party leader, “Should we keep him here and call the police?”

Benjamin stepped forward, though not too close, toward the young man. “Do you have any proof that what you’re telling us is true?”

“…” the young man looked him dead in the eye, “You don’t believe me?”

“Look, stranger, this is a very serious matter and we need to know right now whether or not you’re telling the truth. A woman’s life is at stake.”

“Is it?”

“Dammit man, just answer my question!”

Morgan turned, opening his eyes. “Benjamin! That’s enough!”

The young man was not fazed. “As a matter of fact, I did find something in the road when she crossed me.” Yanking his arm back from one of the men holding him, he dug around in his pocket and pulled out a silk scarf, soaked and dirty.

Benjamin immediately snatched it from him and held it out to Morgan. “This is Rosetta’s…she wore it all winter!”

Suddenly, one of the men at the back of the party began shouting in alarm. “My lord! Look, there’s someone coming this way!”

Everyone turned and looked to see another figure emerging from the trees. The figure stumbled across the ground, dressed in what looked like her undergarments. Her long, dark hair was undone and spilled messily about her, covering her face from view. Even from such a distance, her identity was unmistakable.

“Rosetta!” Morgan cried out, pushing through the search party and running toward her.

“My lord, wait!” Benjamin ran after him.

Just as the two men came close, Rosetta stopped in her tracks, swaying to the side as if she were losing her balance. The rain had soaked her completely, making her scant clothing stick to her. The mud had coated her feet up to her ankles. At the sight of her, her father and fiancé halted in bewilderment.

“M-My lord?” Benjamin looked at him warily.

Morgan did not reply, but came forward as bravely as he could. What reason had he for being in fear of his own daughter? “Rosetta? Speak to me, please!”

Rosetta looked at him, her eyes chillingly blank. “F…Father…?”

The moment those words escaped her lips, her eyes rolled back and she began to fall. Morgan caught her long before she hit the ground, scooping her up and immediately heading back to the estate. Benjamin hurried after him.

“What should we do, lord?”

“Contact the doctor the minute I get her upstairs,” Morgan replied, “She needs medical attention.”

“But what about –“

“All other concerns are secondary, Benjamin.”

“But the boy, sir, should we let him go?”

Morgan sighed impatiently. “Send him home. Send them all home. They are no longer needed.”

Once they reached the front of the estate, they parted. Benjamin stayed outside to inform the search party of the end of their duties, thanking them and promising them that they would be rewarded for their time and effort. After the doctor was sent for, he went upstairs and knocked on Milliana’s door.

“Yes?” she answered without opening up.

“My lady, I have wonderful news…Rosetta has returned.”

She suddenly appeared in the now open doorway. “Just now?”

“Yes.” Benjamin smiled despite his fatigue, “And she is safe, now. Your father took her upstairs, and I have sent for the doctor.”

“I see…”

“Is something wrong? Your reaction to this news is rather odd.”

Milliana leaned against the doorframe. “I was just very scared that she wouldn’t come back. Now that she is home safe, I…feel calm. Is that unusual?”

Benjamin put a hand on her shoulder. “I know exactly how you feel. Would you like to see her?”

“I doubt Father will let me until the doctor’s seen her.” She shrugged, “I don’t mind. For now, just knowing she’s in the house is enough.”

For a moment, the two of them just stood there. Nearby, the guards watched them, then turned to the window and watched the search party leaving the grounds. The young man with the lantern followed behind them, looking up at the house once he was far enough away. He made eye contact with the guards, who did not seem the least bit fazed by this.

Benjamin suddenly realized that the guards were there. “Milliana, may I come in? There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Huh? Oh, of course…” she stepped aside and let him pass.

Once the door was shut, he faced her again. “There was a boy in the woods.”

“So?”

“The search party found him not long before Rosetta was found.”

“Why is this so urgent?” she raised an eyebrow.

Benjamin swallowed, loosening his necktie. “He may know something.”

Milliana was about to brush off his comment, but then she froze, actually hearing what he said, and looked at him in alarm.

“He claimed that he was following Rosetta as she ran into the woods, and even had found her scarf to prove his story, but still…there was something about him that I just don’t trust.”

“What should we do, then? Where is he now?”

“He left with the search party. I have the feeling we’ll be seeing him again.”

“Benjamin…”

“All I’m saying is that we must keep an eye out for him. For all we know, he could try to get to Rosetta.”

“For what purpose?”

“I don’t know.”

Milliana looked away, going over to her vanity. She picked up a frame holding a picture of the two sisters standing together, in the garden outside of their house. “I understand, Benjamin. You keep an eye out for the stranger, and I’ll stay close to Rosetta.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

 

A few hours later, the doctor finally arrived. The guards brought him up to Rosetta’s room, where her father sat by her bedside in the dim light of a single lamp. On Lord Morgan’s orders, the doctor did a thorough checkup, cleaning any wounds he found and making notes as he did so. 

“Hmph,” he said after ten minutes, “She’s developed a fever from being out in this rain storm.”

“Will she be okay?” Morgan inquired, “She hasn’t woken up since she fainted out there.”

“I believe so. Aside from that and a few small cuts – probably from running around in the woods – and this bump on the head, I think she’ll be fine.” He looked up, “Did you contact the police?”

He nodded. “Yes, they are aware of the situation. I asked them to give her a few days before they tried questioning her about the details of this.”

“That was a wise decision. She needs rest right now, not a lot of pressure from the law.”

Wiping his face, Morgan breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t so sure that he wanted the police to question her at all, or if he wanted to really know what happened to her. From what the doctor could tell, Rosetta had not been attacked. Still, she was dehydrated and had not eaten for God knows how long. The bump on the head looked like it was caused by her running into something. Remembering that the police had reported the front of her car smashed from running into the ditch, Morgan assumed that Rosetta banged her head on the windshield in the impact.

But the question still remained…how did her car end up in the ditch?

“My lord?”

“Huh? Yes, doctor, I’m sorry,” he shook himself from his thoughts.

“I was just saying that it might be a good idea to have someone stay with her while she recovers. Perhaps her fiancé or her younger sister?”

“Yes, perhaps…and I will have the guards stand outside her door.”

* * *

 

**TWO DAYS LATER**

 

_ The sound of breaks screeching as the tires skidded across wet gravel and dirt… the rain coming down heavily and the thunder sounding so deafeningly that I can’t begin to ease my panicking heart, and then I black out.  _

_ After I regain consciousness, it’s still raining. Thinking only a couple of hours have gone by, I start to run –  _

“Is that all you can remember?” asked Chief Borgia, tapping his pen against the side of his head wearily.

Rosetta, glassy-eyed but conscious, nodded slowly. 

“Are you sure?”

Milliana, who was standing beside Rosetta, gave the police chief a glare. “If she says that’s all, then that’s all. You shouldn’t keep pestering her.”

Borgia met her glare with one of his own. “I wasn’t asking you, I was asking your sister.”

Lord Morgan cleared his throat from his spot in the corner of the room, causing Milliana to look back down. 

“Now then,” Borgia continued, “Miss Rollins, if you would please try to remember anything else, anything at all…”

“But I  _ can’t _ ,” Rosetta replied, “I’ve been trying this whole time, and I just can’t. I’ve been trying since I woke up the other day.”

“I understand your situation, but you must see that it will be rather difficult for the police to do anything with these mere scraps of information you’ve given us.” The police chief leaned back in his chair, “I want to give this matter as thorough of an investigation as possible.”

Before anything else could be said, Lord Morgan spoke up, “Chief, you’ll recall me telling you that the doctor determined that my daughter received a nasty bump on her head. Isn’t it possible that she has slight amnesia as a result?”

“Maybe so, but that just makes me wonder how she got said bump on the head. I’ll agree that it’s likely to be from her running her car into that ditch, but I’m not ruling out the possibility that someone  _ gave  _ her that bump in some struggle.”

Rosetta shivered. Milliana took off her shawl and wrapped it around her sister’s shoulders. “But you sound like you’re trying to immediately wrap this up. If my sister lost her memory of what happened to her, then it will take time to recover, won’t it?”

“Milliana is right, Chief,” Lord Morgan agreed.

Borgia sighed. “I’m only trying to solve this quickly as to not cause you and your family any more inconvenience, Lord.”

“I’m grateful, but for now I think we should let Rosetta come to her senses on her own.”

The initial investigation ended at that. With a goodbye, Chief Borgia left the room with Lord Morgan, leaving the two sisters alone together. Leaving Rosetta where she was seated, Milliana turned to the window and opened the curtains, only to find that the rain still continued. 

“Ohh, how infuriating!” she fumed, closing the curtains again, “This blasted rain just won’t stop! And I was hoping to go and take tea out on the patio…”

Rosetta said nothing.

“…You know, the police chief is gone. You don’t have to keep giving everyone the cold shoulder.”

“I’m not trying to…I’m sorry.” Rosetta replied, looking over her shoulder, “It was getting hard to focus…my head still hurts.”

“Well, I would expect as much,” Milliana came around to face her, “what with that knot on your forehead, there.”

“But when Borgia kept asking about the night my car crashed, my head started throbbing, and I couldn’t remember anything else.” 

“It was stupid of him to try and force you to remember,” she replied, “Policemen like him can be so insensitive.”

Hearing no reply, Milliana went about the room, making sure things were tidy. Despite her usual refusal to clean anything that was not her own, she would compulsively do so in times of stress. Being trapped inside for days didn’t help matters. 

Rosetta watched, thinking about the past few days. When she regained consciousness, the first people she spoke to were her father and the doctor summoned to treat her. Lord Morgan had explained what happened when they had found her, about the boy in the woods, whom they discovered moments before she appeared out of nowhere…

“Sister?”

Rosetta was pulled from her thoughts to see Milliana watching her. “What’s the matter? You look like something’s troubling you.”

“…Milliana, Father spoke of a boy in the woods. Do you know anything about that?”

“No. I asked both Father and Benjamin, but they refused to tell me anything. Why?”

“Do you think he might know something? Maybe if I spoke with him, I could recall more of that night.”

“…I don’t know if he’s even still around. He left with the search party after we found you. If he were really all that important, Chief Borgia would’ve taken him into custody.” 

She looked away. “Right…of course. Nevermind, forget I said anything.”

* * *

 

After a week, the rain finally ceased, and a long-overdue and much needed outdoor luncheon was held on the patio. Though the garden was still completely drenched and there wasn’t much to look at, it was enough to admire the beauty of the first cloudless blue sky in some time. To everyone’s relief, Rosetta had begun to feel better. Her injuries were close to healing completely – even if the bump on her head was still visible – and her spirits seemed to have lifted. 

This put Lord Morgan in such a good mood, that he invited Chief Borgia back to the estate to dine with them. Milliana and Benjamin both thought very little of this suggestion, but since Rosetta did not seem threatened by it in the least, they resigned to it. 

“You make a delightful pot of coffee, Milliana,” Borgia complemented, pouring himself a second cup.

She smiled in reply, but said nothing. It was obvious to her that he was forcing himself to make pleasant conversation when he wanted nothing more than to interrogate her sister some more.

“Nice of the weather to lighten up,” he continued, adding a couple of sugar cubes.

Lord Morgan nodded in agreement, though he also was none-too-pleased with Borgia’s attitude. “I agree.”

Immediately, the chief turned to Rosetta, wasting no more time with pleasantries. “You look well, milady. I trust you’re feeling better?”

“…I suppose. I’ve gotten my appetite back, anyway.”

“That’s good. Being outdoors after all this rain must be a relief, as well.”

Rosetta cut her chicken breast into little pieces, and nodded. “Um…Chief, can I ask you a question?”

“You can ask me anything.”

“The night I was brought home, I understand that the search party came across a stranger in the woods. Do you know anything about him?”

Immediately, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Chief Borgia. 

He cleared his throat, “Uh…Well, I hate to disappoint you, ma’am, but there wasn’t much to know about this stranger you speak of. He isn’t even from the town. He  _ claims  _ to be a merchant of some sort, but other than that, I have nothing to go on.”

Benjamin scoffed. “That just makes him sound all the more suspicious. I trust you’re keeping tabs on that boy, Chief.”

“I’m certainly keeping an eye on him, sir.” He nodded.

“I suppose, then, that I will not be able to speak with him myself?” Rosetta asked.

Lord Morgan’s brow furrowed. “Why on earth would you want to do that?”

“Because, he may be able to help me remember something.” She replied.

Borgia set down his coffee. “My lady, I really don’t think he could help you, much. If he was telling the truth, he would only tell you about when he found you that night.”

“I like to believe that the smallest detail could be beneficial,” she replied tartly, “and I assumed you would think the same.”

The police chief frowned, then looked away, his hardened gaze focusing on his food. Lord Morgan cleared his throat. “Alright, that’s enough of this talk for now. Come, it’s a beautiful day. Surely we can think of something else to discuss.”

As if taking his cue, Benjamin began to tell everyone about how his mother had begun breeding horses, taking it back up after ten years. Everyone but Rosetta was listening. She ate her food in silence, her mind abuzz with a flurry of thoughts all the while.

_ How can Borgia expect me to recall anything on my own?  _ Her fingers gripped her fork tightly,  _ After all, he’s the one who wants this case solved quickly. Eager as a little boy, he is… _ she was surprised at how venomous she sounded in her head. For a moment, it sounded like a completely different person talking. Perhaps she was just as anxious to recall the details of her accident.

A rustling in the holly hedges caught her attention. Quickly glancing at her company, she saw that no one else had heard it. She only looked with her eyes in the direction of the noise, and felt her heart jolt with surprise as her gaze fell upon a face concealed in the leaves. She blinked a few times to ensure that she was not merely seeing things. 

The face was that of a young man with skin darkened by the sun and a surprisingly piercing set of eyes. A cloth was tied around his head to hold back his red hair. He appeared nonplussed when Rosetta noticed him. Neither of them moved for what felt like an eternity.

“…and of course, now my father will have to hire new hands to care for the beasts, and then the stables will have to be repaired and cleaned out,” Benjamin was saying, “What a fine state of excitement mother is in! Wouldn’t you agree, Rosetta dear?” when he got no answer, he looked at her, “…Rosetta? What are you looking at?”

She did not answer. Milliana, Borgia, and Lord Morgan turned to see, and unfortunately Borgia was the first to notice the face in the hedges. “Good lord, who is that?”

Rosetta jumped, looking back at her company. “Wh-What?”

Borgia got to his feet. “There, in the bushes!” he pointed his index finger at the face like a dagger. 

Quickly, the young man disappeared and began to run. Lord Morgan got up and called for the guards to pursue him. As if coming to her defense, Benjamin came around to Rosetta’s side. Rosetta watched the guards chase the young man down with a look of horror on her face. 

Once the guards had the man in custody, Lord Morgan ordered him to be brought forward, walking to the top of the stone stairs leading down from the patio to the gardens. Borgia lingered close behind him, his hand resting on the handle of his pistol. 

“Just what do you think you’re doing here?” Lord Morgan looked sternly at the young man, “You realize that you are trespassing on my lands?”

The young man did not reply, but continued to look at Rosetta. 

The guards shook him. “Avert your eyes, you peasant!”

“Answer me,” Lord Morgan growled.

“I beg your pardon,” the young man finally said, “It was not my intention to alarm anyone. I was only seeing if the young woman was recovering.”

“What business is that of yours?” Borgia inquired.

“I helped to find her.” He answered.

“That gives you no authority to come to my home unannounced.” Morgan walked down the steps toward him, “I have a mind to let Chief Borgia here place you under arrest.”

“But I have done no harm,” the young man replied, his voice unusually calm despite the position he was in.

Rosetta watched the exchange between the man and her father, her body tense. It was well known to everyone in town that her father could be very cruel to trespassers, to the point of being unreasonable, and she hated to think of what he would do if that stranger kept talking. 

Benjamin squeezed her shoulders in a way he thought was reassuring, misinterpreting her tension. “There, there, your father won’t let anyone harm you.”

She didn’t bother correcting him, but kept her eyes on her father, hoping that he would show restraint.

“Search him,” Lord Morgan told the guards, “Make sure he has no weapons on him.”

“Come now, my lord,” Borgia gave him a look, “That hardly seems necessary. The lad looks as though he couldn’t even afford a weapon.”

“He has a point,” the young man added, holding up his arms as the guards patted him down.

Lord Morgan glared at him. “Silence, boy.”

Milliana glanced at Benjamin, who looked back at her and shrugged. Then she stood up and said, “Father, please, this is silly. Let’s just let him go.”

“Not now, Milliana,” her father replied without looking at her.

It took the guards only a few minutes to procure the few belongings the stranger had on him, including a handkerchief, a creepy looking doll, and a pocket watch. Judging by the state of his clothes, these items were not too surprising, with the exception of the watch. The guard that found it turned it over in his hands, and was about to comment on the scratches around the keyhole where it was wound, when he noticed an emblem printed on the front. It was a gothic butterfly with the initials T.M. decorating the wings. 

“My lord,” the guard brought the watch to Morgan, “He had this in his pocket. It has the Mikk Family Emblem printed on it.”

At the mention of that name, a slight but noticeable fire alit in Lord Morgan’s eyes. He snatched the watch and held it by the chain on which it hung. It swung to and fro, as it would in the hands of a hypnotist. He then glared at the stranger. “You are of the Mikk family?”

“What if I am?” he replied, unruffled.

“Did  _ he _ send you? Were you in the woods that night because of  _ him _ ?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Rosetta stared at the young man. He certainly didn’t look like anyone from the Mikk family. But still, she felt suddenly nervous. She knew what her father was getting at, what ideas came to his mind. She looked up at Benjamin and saw that he too seemed bothered at the mention of Mikk. Even Milliana was alarmed.

Borgia alone seemed confused. “What does the Mikk family have to do with anything?”

“If I may,” the stranger said, “I’d like to point out that the watch is not mine. In truth, I was picking it up from the watchmaker in town for Lord Mikk. I was in town to retrieve it this afternoon.”

“That’s a very convenient story,” Lord Morgan replied, “I daresay my home is a little out of the way if you were indeed returning to  _ him _ .”

“Ask the watchmaker if you don’t believe me.”

The guard still holding him struck him suddenly, causing him to fall. “Watch your tone!”

He landed on the ground, blood seeping from a split in his lip.

Finally, Rosetta could watch no longer. She stood up, shrugging off Benjamin’s hands. “Father, please!”

Morgan finally turned to look at her.

“Let the man go! Aside from trespassing, he’s done nothing wrong!”

“I will not release him until his claims have been verified,” her father replied resolutely.

“Chief, how can you just stand there?” she cried.

Borgia cleared his throat. “Well, I can’t say I disagree completely with your father, my lady. At the very least, we should investigate his alibi and see if it’s true.”

“Benjamin,” Morgan looked to her fiancé, “Go and call Lord Mikk and tell him I request an audience with him here, immediately.”

“Yes, my lord,” Benjamin nodded, turning from Rosetta and going inside.

She was about to turn and cry out again in protest, when a sharp pain in her head made her falter. She stumbled, cradling her head in her hands and whimpering. The young man immediately fixed his gaze on her again, alarmed.

“Sister?” Milliana went to her, “What’s the matter?”

The fire in Morgan’s eyes started to dwindle when he observed his daughter in pain. “Take her inside, Milliana. She’s overexcited herself and needs rest.”

She obeyed and led Rosetta, who did not resist, into the manor. Once they were gone, Morgan turned back to the guards. “You two! Take this man to the cellar and hold him there.”

“Yes, sir,” the guards chorused in unison, pulling the man up off the ground and leading him away. 

Morgan looked in disgust at the watch once more, then pocketed it. Borgia sighed heavily, taking his hand off his pistol. 

“…I cannot believe I lost my temper in front of my daughters,” Morgan cursed quietly.

“No one blames you, lord,” Borgia replied, “But I can’t help but wonder what about the Mikk family causes you to be so angry.”

Before answering, Morgan seated himself on the stone steps. “Am I assured that what I’m going to tell you is in the strictest confidence?”

Borgia joined him. “You have my word, lord.”

“A few years ago, I learned that Rosetta had been secretly seeing the man who is now head of the Mikk family, Tyki. I heard this as a rumor, and at first did not believe it. But late one night I saw him bringing Rosetta home in his car, and she had kissed him before he left. I still had some doubts, but I confronted her anyway…I hadn’t intended on losing my temper, but she became so defensive when I asked what was going on, we ended up getting into a very heated argument. She accused me of encroaching on her private life, and stormed off.” He sighed, “I spoke to the head of the Mikk family then, Sherril, and explained the situation. After that, Tyki and my daughter never saw each other again. Rosetta stayed mad at me for weeks. It’s no secret that I’ve always had my suspicions about Sherril and his family, that they were deep into dark habits that I don’t even like to think about, but after that it was official that our families did not get along.”

“…This was before her engagement to Benjamin was set up?” Borgia asked after a moment.

“Yes. I thought if I introduced Rosetta to him, she would come to understand why she couldn’t see Tyki anymore. Benjamin’s family is not in high society, per say, but they’re respectable and decent and possess more scruples than the Mikks do. They’re God-fearing people.”

Pausing, Morgan dug around in his pocket for his cigarettes. He offered one to Borgia, who declined. “Sometimes I wonder if Rosetta continued to see him behind my back, even after she became engaged to Benjamin.” He lit a cigarette and puffed on it like a pipe.

“It might explain why she was gone for so long before we found her in the woods. However, it does not give a reason for her injuries, or for her car being driven into the ditch.” He turned to Morgan, “In any case, when Lord Mikk arrives here, we can ask him what he was doing at the time of Rosetta’s disappearance.”

Morgan shook his head, blowing smoke rings from his mouth. “I don’t want to make groundless accusations. I’m more concerned about Rosetta than her former lover.”

“This will at least narrow down the list of suspects. To be honest, lord, I’m at a loss as far as this case is concerned.”

“It’s all right, old friend, I understand.” Blowing a final stream of smoke into the air, Morgan threw down his cigarette and stamped it out, “Come, we may as well go inside. I have to prepare myself for Lord Mikk’s arrival.” His weary expression showed him to be reluctant, at best.


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

 

Like most in high society, the Rollins Estate was equipped with a cellar large enough to accommodate the entire town. It was very easy for one to get lost down there, with wine racks and barrels arranged in such a way that it seemed like an endless labyrinth. Shortly after his wife’s death, Lord Morgan took part of the cellar and made it a makeshift holding area, if ever his guards caught trespassers and he needed to contain them until the police arrived. It was the result of an odd, unprompted stroke of paranoia on Lord Morgan’s part, but no one dared to point this out to him. Needless to say, this stranger was the first person to be held down there in quite a while.

The guards, not finding the man much of a threat physically, put him into one section of the cellar that had been outfitted with an iron gate. They taunted at him, safe on the other side of the bars, trying to get a reaction out of him.

“In deep now, aren’t you, boy?” sneered one, “Should’ve kept your mouth shut when you had the chance. Now you’re on Morgan’s bad side! Not many people live long after seeing that!”

“Should’ve hidden the watch, is what,” the other laughed, “If he hadn’t seen it, he might’ve let you off with a slap on the wrist, eh?”

The stranger stared at them both quite passively. He almost never blinked.

“Your master’s gonna have to come fetch ya, now. Bet you’ll get lashings for your insubordination!”

“I very much doubt it,” the stranger finally replied stoically, “Lashings are reserved for the idiots.”

“Hmph. Think you’re such hot shit…you’re nothing but a peasant compared to Lord Mikk, anyway.”

“Shows what you know. Perhaps the lashings will be reserved for you, after all.”

They spat at him, reaching through the bars and grabbing the front of his ragged coat. They threatened him with whipping, flaying, burning, and any other horrible punishment they could think of, lusting for him to show the slightest hint of fear. The young man knew that, and he denied them without a bit of exertion on his part.

At last, the guards were bored. “Better make yourself at home, peasant. Wouldn’t be too hopeful that your master will be here in a flash.”

“Yeah, and if you get lonely, you’ve got your best girl here for company!” the first guard grinned nastily, taking the doll they had found and tossing it into the cell with him. Then, laughing to themselves, they left him alone.

Getting down on one knee, the stranger picked up the doll in both hands and dusted it off. “Sorry about that.”

The doll’s black-button eyes blinked. “You should be. Getting yourself caught like that…what were you thinking, Wisely?”

He backed up against the wall and sat down on the floor. “I wasn’t _trying_ to get caught. I didn’t think she’d see me.”

“It wasn’t just _her,_ it was everyone at that table.” The doll chided, raising a patched, fingerless arm and pointing at him, “You were supposed to go right back to the house, not hang around here and spy on her like some stalker.”

Wisely glared at the doll. “Look, I wanted to make sure everything was in order. Who else was going to check?”

“But you didn’t need to come here in person. You have those ‘demon eyes’ for a reason, you know.”

He looked away, scowling.

The doll hung limp in his hands. “Okay, okay…arguing won’t solve anything. Want me to get you out of here?”

“You heard the guards, Road, they’re bringing Tyki here. If I escaped now, it would just raise suspicion. It’s best to wait and see what happens when he gets here.”

Road cocked her head to one side. “What are you going to do till then?”

“…is it too soon to go to her?”

“I think so.”

“But if we wait too long, it might be too late.”

“Like you said, we have to wait and see. Tyki’s calling the shots on this one.”

Wisely sighed, placing Road on the ground and shutting his eyes. “Very well.”

“…What happened when they brought her inside? Did you see how she doubled over in pain?”

He nodded gravely. He saw what had happened just before the guards carried him away. It bothered him more than it should have, and he was dreading having to tell Tyki about it.

* * *

 

“My lord, Tyki Mikk has arrived.”

In the company of Chief Borgia, Lord Morgan went straight to the front hall, straightening his tie.

“Calm yourself, this is nothing to be nervous about,” Borgia hissed.

“I _am_ calm,” Morgan insisted stiffly.

Just as they came into the hall, the front door opened and Tyki Mikk walked inside, having donned a sleek black top hat on his head and holding a slender, silver-topped cane in one hand. “Good day, Lord Morgan.”

“And you, Lord Mikk,” Morgan nodded in reply.

“I must say,” he said, handing his hat to a nearby steward, “It was with such surprise that I received your call this afternoon. After all, it’s been three years or so since we last spoke.”

“Four,” Morgan corrected.

“Yes…four. Of course,” he smiled, his dark eyes oddly vibrant.

Standing silent, Borgia looked the man over. He had never actually met anyone of the Mikk family in person, and Tyki was definitely not what he expected. Dark hair, olive skin, and a mole beneath one eye. He did not strike Borgia as being one suspected of having questionable habits as Morgan claimed.

“Come, let’s go into the drawing room,” Morgan said, stepping aside to let Tyki pass.

“Very well.”

The three men exited the front hall and headed down a short corridor, passing two maids, who immediately went red in the face and giggled upon seeing Tyki. He smiled politely at them. Morgan shooed them away with an impatient wave of his hand. Still giggling, the maids ran down the hallway.

Tyki sat down first when they arrived, choosing a wingback armchair. “So, what can I do for you, Lord Morgan?”

“I’d like to resolve a troubling matter,” Morgan replied without hesitation, “You see, it was with some shock that we discovered someone from your family in our gardens this afternoon.”

“Did you?”

“He was hiding in the holly bushes, spying on us while we ate.”

Tyki took out a silver lighter and a cigarette from his breast pocket. “Hmm…was it Wisely, by chance?”

Morgan looked to Borgia, then back. “Who?”

“About my height, red hair, sash around his head?”

“Oh, yes. Yes, that’s him.”

Repocketing the lighter, he groaned. “Yes, I thought so…I do apologize, Lord Morgan, I had given him instructions to not bother you anymore. I hope he didn’t give you any serious trouble.”

“He committed no actual crime, save trespassing.”

Clearing his throat, Borgia stepped up to the plate. “Lord Mikk, I’m Chief Borgia of the police. Your man claimed to have been in town to pick up a watch for you from the watchmaker?”

Tyki nodded. “That’s what he was _supposed_ to be doing, yes. If you don’t mind me asking, did he have the watch with him when you discovered him?”

“Indeed,” Morgan pulled the item from his own pocket and held it out in his open palm. Tyki made no move to take it from him, but stared at it like he did not know what it was.

“With all due respect,” he said, flicking ash into the tray on the coffee table beside his chair, “I highly doubt you called me here just for this.”

Borgia stood up. “You’re correct. If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask you some questions. Firstly, were you aware of the recent occurrence a few nights ago?”

Tyki made eye contact, freezing the chief in place. “I was. Wisely told me that there was some accident, and a group of men were searching for Lord Morgan’s daughter?”

“Rosetta, yes,” he nodded, “She had been missing for two weeks. Your man happened upon her in the woods the night she returned.”

Finally taking the watch from him, he leaned back. “I see…”

“Where were you that night, sir?”

“At my home, hosting a party. I have one every year for my Holdings Firm.”

Borgia glanced at Lord Morgan to confirm this, who nodded stiffly. “Were you aware that your man was not at home?”

“Wisely is not exactly my man, Chief,” Tyki replied, holding his cigarette between two fingers, “Truth be told, he is family. He comes and goes as he pleases, unless I have need for him.”

The two older men exchanged puzzled glances. Lord Morgan fiddled with his tie nervously. “He is of the Mikk family?”

“That’s right.”

“If you don’t mind me saying…he certainly doesn’t present himself like one of you.”

Tyki chuckled. “Yes, Wisely has a very particular taste when it comes to that. He’s spent some time abroad in India, and since he’s been back, our quaint English customs just don’t do it for him anymore. But, rest assured, gentlemen, he is my family.” He paused, glancing about the room, “Erm, where exactly is he right now?”

“My guards are holding him in the cellar.” Lord Morgan replied.

“…May I speak with him? Or is he a prisoner?” his voice became oddly bitter.

“I’ll have someone bring him back up.” Morgan looked behind him and nodded to the guard who had been standing by since they entered the room.

“Lord Morgan, I take it you won’t allow me to see Rosetta?”

“No…but not for the reason you think. I’m afraid she’s not feeling well at the moment. After we took your man to the cellar, she developed a terrible headache.”

Tyki’s eyes widened, then he nodded, understanding. “I see…then perhaps another day.”

“I’m afraid that’s out of the question, Lord Mikk.”

The three men glanced up in surprise as Benjamin entered the room.

Lord Morgan stood up. “Benjamin? I thought you were seeing to Rosetta.”

“Milliana is with her. I wanted to take the opportunity to meet Lord Mikk in person.” He walked toward him and held out his hand, without smiling.

Tyki took it, equally expressionless. “Good to know you, sir.”

“I have heard a lot about you from Lord Morgan.”

He took a drag from his cigarette, not replying.

Benjamin let go of his hand, stepping back. “I guess you’re already aware that Rosetta is my fiancé.”

“Benjamin…!” Lord Morgan hissed, casting an anxious glance at Tyki.

“Yes, I was told. Accept my congratulations for your upcoming nuptials.” Tyki finally answered.

“Thank you, sir. I must tell you, Rosetta was very excited when our engagement was announced. I daresay it was the happiest moment of her life.” He smiled smugly.

Chief Borgia eyed Benjamin stiffly. “Is this really the time to get into this, Mr. Lawrence?”

Lord Morgan watched the two men warily. It was no secret that he had nursed an inner desire to rub his daughter’s engagement in Lord Mikk’s face, but he knew better than to act on it. Honor forbade him from being so crass. However, it appeared that Benjamin had no intention of being so subtle. Tyki appeared to be unaffected by Benjamin’s bragging, but Lord Morgan got the feeling that he was suppressing his true feelings.

“I’m glad to hear that she is doing well.” He said calmly, “After all, I have not spoken to her in four years.”

“Yes, that sounds about right.” Benjamin nodded, his grin widening.

Finally, Lord Morgan stood up. “That’s enough, Benjamin. Lord Mikk is my guest, and I will not have him treated with disrespect in my own house.”

“Lord Morgan, I meant no offense—“

“Silence. I will not have you lie to me, either. Please, do us all a favor and go see how Rosetta is doing.”

Benjamin’s grin faded and was replaced with a sour look. Without making eye contact with anyone else in the room, he left, obviously furious, his face burning. Lord Morgan turned to Tyki.

“I’m very sorry…you do not deserve to be treated in this way.”

Tyki shook his head. “Think nothing of it. As I said, I am glad Rosetta is doing well. Ah,” he stood up from his chair, leaving the butt of his cigarette in the ashtray, “Here they are, now.”

Right on cue, the guards entered the room, escorting Wisely by either arm. Lord Morgan waved his hand, and they released him. Tyki came forward, cane in hand. “Once again, Lord Morgan, I want to apologize for the trouble, today.” He looked at Wisely, “You apologize, too.”

Reluctantly, Wisely looked at Lord Morgan. “I’m sorry for the excitement I caused today, sir.”

“It is a thing of the past. Please, take care on your way home.”

As the two men made their way outside, Tyki shoved his hands in his pockets, cane underneath one arm. “That was a fine mess you got yourself into, Wisely.”

Wisely scowled. “Road already chewed me out, brother. Spare me.”

The doll poked her head out from inside Wisely’s pocket. “You sure took your time, Tyki.”

“Forgive me, it’s not exactly easy for me to be here after all this time.” he walked to the car and opened the back door.

Before he got in, he glanced over his shoulder at the house one more time. Two faces were watching them from a second story window. Tyki stared for a moment, not speaking, then quickly turned away and got into the car. Once everyone was in, the driver turned the car around and began heading back to town. Wisely gazed out of the rear window, watching the house until they were out of sight. Lighting another cigarette, Tyki stared straight ahead.

“I really wish you had just come home and used your demon eyes to check on things, instead of trespassing,” he said after a moment.

Road wiggled out of Wisely’s pocket, suddenly returning to her human form, landing in his lap. “That’s what I told him.”

Wisely turned around, grimacing. “I get it, you didn’t want to come to the Rollins Estate. But sometimes I don’t want to rely just on my Noah powers. Is that so wrong?”

“Don’t be childish, Wisely. We both know why you went there in person.” Tyki replied, crossly.

“I really hate it when you act like you know everything. You start to sound just like Sherril.”

“ _Boys_ ,” Road exclaimed, “Let’s not start fighting. I know you’re both upset with this situation, but it will be more difficult if you’re at each other’s throats. Isn’t the family in enough turmoil over this?”

Both men hung their heads.

She sat up straight and crossed her arms. “Right. Now then, let’s get back on track, here. Wisely, before they noticed you, what did you observe?”

He sighed. “While everyone else was talking, Rosetta seemed...detached. I don’t think she was really paying attention to anyone until she addressed them directly.”

“Detachment is to be expected.”

“But when she noticed me, for a moment, it was as though she recognized me…y’know, as Ayumi.”

Tyki and Road looked at him, surprised.

“Although that went straight out the window when her so-called fiance saw me. Then she went right back to being Rosetta. That’s probably what caused her to have the headache.”

“But that didn’t happen until her father said Tyki’s name, right?” Road asked.

“...Yes.”

Tyki tossed his spent cigarette out of the window. “She’s probably still very confused right now. Ayumi is trying to come to the surface, but Rosetta is subconsciously suppressing her…” he scowled, “If the doctor that examined her is correct, and she does have amnesia, there’s a higher chance that this will fail.”

Wisely’s fists clenched. “You can’t be so quick to make that claim!”

“I don’t make this claim lightly,” he snapped, “After all, we all know what we’ll have to do if Ayumi can’t gain control.”

Road nodded slowly in agreement. “We’ll have to kill Rosetta.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be some mildly explicit content in this chapter. Please use discretion when reading. Enjoy!

**Chapter Four**

Rosetta watched the car drive away from her bedroom window. She hadn’t realized that her sister was standing behind her until she noticed her hands on her shoulders. She expected that Milliana was doing so in a comforting gesture, but one look at her face told Rosetta otherwise.

Their eyes met, and Milliana blushed. “I uh...I forgot how handsome Lord Mikk is!”

Rosetta nodded, turning back to the window. “So did I.” she said blankly.

“...I guess Father wouldn’t let him see you.”

“Probably not. I’m surprised he let him into the house at all.”

Milliana walked to the vanity and began to fuss with her hair. “I wonder if that strange young man is that family’s servant or something. He looked pretty shabby, didn’t he?”

“He did, but...also...I don’t know,” Rosetta stood, “He seemed rather familiar for some reason, but I can’t think of where I’ve seen him before.” she suddenly felt Milliana’s eyes on her from the mirror’s reflection, “I think aside from Tyki, I only ever met his older brother, Sherril.”

Milliana didn’t look away from the mirror, though she was obviously intrigued by what her sister had just said. “Well, maybe you saw that man in town? You used to spend hours in town on business for Father before you were engaged to Benjamin.”

“Maybe…” she scowled suddenly, raising a hand to her forehead, “I wish I could remember…!”

“Don’t force yourself,” Milliana came up and took her hands in hers, “You’re still recovering. All of the important things will come back to you in time, just like the doctor said.”

“I know, it’s just so frustrating.”

Milliana’s smile wavered ever so slightly, but did not break. “Why don’t you draw yourself a bath and relax? Remember what Mother used to say? ‘Frustration never helped anyone’.”

“Not the deepest expression, but…” she half smiled herself, “You’re right. Maybe I’ll do that.”

Giving her sister some privacy, Milliana checked her hair in the mirror one last time and left. Rosetta escorted herself into her bathroom and turned on the taps. Briefly, she stood next to the claw-footed tub and watched the water fill up. Even at the sudden mention of her late mother, all she was concerned about was the young man from before. She truly felt as though they had met before.

 _But deep down, I_ know _we haven’t...so why do I feel this way?_

Turning off the water, she undressed and lowered herself into the tub. It seemed all the more strange to her that she didn’t feel anything when she laid eyes on Tyki for the first time in four years; no sadness, no excitement...nothing.

But why? She could clearly recall every moment they had spent together before her father got involved in their relationship. She even remembered being in love with him…

“But I don’t...feel that way anymore.” she mumbled.

If she was honest with herself, she wasn’t exactly in love with Benjamin, not in the same way she had been with Tyki. In fact, more often than not, his overall demeanor got under her skin. It didn’t help that he was someone her father had chosen for her. Still...the stranger in the garden intrigued her to the point where…

**_“Wisely, what’s going on? Jasdevi said you wanted to talk to me.”_ **

Rosetta’s head lolled back against the edge of the tub, her eyes going blank.

_She was standing outdoors with the young man, but he wasn’t looking at her. He looked almost shy._

**_“Are you alright?” she heard herself ask, “You’ve seemed kind of…y’know, off lately.”_ **

But the voice didn’t belong to her. It was as though a different woman was speaking, entirely.

**_Wisely scratched the back of his head. “I haven’t...well, I mean...ugh,” he covered his face with his hands, “You know I’m not really the best communicator.”_ **

**_“No, you aren’t...but I can usually get the gist of what you’re trying to say. Present moment excluded, of course.”_ **

**_“I know, I’m sorry…” Wisely groaned, shoving his hands into his pockets, “Listen, I know things have been kind of hard for you, coming into your own as a Noah. I know this can all be rather overwhelming at times, but...you can always talk to me, if you want. If you’re having trouble, I mean…” he met her eyes._ **

**_“Okay…”_ **

**_“But it doesn’t have to be about that. You can talk to me about anything.” he stammered, “You can talk to Road and Tyki, too - and Jasdevi, I guess - but just so you know, there’s me if, you know, no one else is around.”_ **

**_There was a brief moment of silence, and then the woman started laughing. Wisely’s face immediately reddened, and he turned away._ **

**_“I’m sorry,” she said, “I don’t mean to laugh, it’s just...you looked so cute when you said that!”_ **

**_He didn’t reply._ **

**_She came closer to him, putting a hand on his arm. “Hey...I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have...you were trying to be serious.”_ **

**_“Forget about it.” he brushed her hand off, and started to walk away, “It’s nothing. Forget what I said, Ayumi.”_ **

**_“No, Wisely, wait a second! Don’t leave!”_ **

Suddenly, Rosetta lurched forward, pulling herself out of her reverie. Her shifting caused the water in the tub to splash over the sides and onto the floor. It took her a moment to remember where she was. Frantically, she tried to make sense of what she had just seen. It couldn’t have been a memory, because she wasn’t actually there. But if not, then...what was it?

“Who is Ayumi…?”

* * *

 

After leaving her sister’s room, Milliana began wandering the halls on the second floor, lost in thought. That whole conversation with Rosetta struck her as strange, indeed. Never had she seemed quite this lost...she almost seemed like a different person. Milliana remembered, back when Rosetta was still seeing Tyki behind everyone’s backs, that she seemed more vivacious and alive than she ever had. She used to talk to Milliana about him in secret, always with such emotion in her voice.

But now, after Rosetta caught her peering at Tyki from the window, she spoke in such a blank, distant voice. It couldn’t have just been because of the accident.

What puzzled her even more was how interested she seemed in that stranger.

“Milliana, darling?”

She stopped walking, finding herself by the balcony overlooking the first floor. “Father?”

“How is your sister? Is she alright?” he asked.

“Yes...she just decided to take a bath, so I expect she’ll be in her room a little while longer.” Milliana replied.

Morgan nodded slowly. “I see. And are you alright?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Me?”

“Well, after all of the excitement this afternoon, I imagine you would be troubled yourself, at the very least.”

She found it rare that her father ever truly expressed an interest in how she was feeling. “Since you put it that way...I am a little fatigued.”

“Of course, you must be. Perhaps we will postpone dinner until we are all a tad calmer.” Morgan sighed, “Borgia has finally left, and Benjamin, well...he needs to cool his heels.”

Milliana placed her hands on the railing. “Did something happen?”

Her father’s nostrils flared impatiently. “Oh, he thought it was a smart idea to enter into my conversation with Lord Mikk and assert his dominance. That fool...I sent him away, so I expect he’s wandering around the grounds somewhere.” he looked at Milliana again, “Please, don’t let him see Rosetta until he’s stopped acting like a child.”

She nodded dutifully. “If I see him first, I will.”

Without another word, she walked further down the hallway, away from her father’s gaze, as though she were going to her own bedroom. Once she was sure the coast was clear, she quickly ducked down another corridor, just past her bedroom, and headed for the servant’s passageway. It led down to the storehouses, and then out to the yard. Thankfully, nobody was around to notice her scurry through and slip outside. She glanced around, looking to see if Benjamin was anywhere nearby. As she guessed, he had probably made his way to the gardening shed so he could punch walls without anyone happening upon him. It was, oddly enough, his go-to place whenever he was angry. Milliana walked to the shed and stopped before opening the door. She didn’t hear any thumping, but could hear Benjamin muttering to himself.

She opened the door and let herself in. “Here you are, as usual.”

Benjamin paused his furious ramblings and looked at her. “What are you doing out here, Milliana? I thought you were with Rosetta.”

“Father told me you got upset during Lord Mikk’s visit.”

“That is not what happened!”

“Save your breath.” she crossed her arms, “What on earth possessed you to confront him like that in the first place?”

He sighed. Pulling off his jacket, he hung it on a nearby peg next to the gardening hoe. “I wasn’t planning on anything, I just wanted to meet the man. You know, when your sister and I got engaged, I could never get her to talk about him, and your father would always brush it off when I asked him. I wanted to know just what Rosetta found so _fascinating_ about him.”

Milliana stared at him.

“Despite Lord Morgan’s fervent distrust of the man, he seemed just as entranced by Lord Mikk as Rosetta. Chief Borgia, too! I mean, what the hell is so damn fascinating about _him_?”

“Well, Lord Mikk _is_ handsome. Almost exotically, so.”

He glared at her. “That isn't helping.”

She rolled her eyes. “Would you calm down? I didn’t say _you_ weren’t handsome, too.”

Benjamin ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “Then, I had to go and make a fool of myself and try to make the man jealous by lying about my engagement.”

“Lying…?”

“Oh, I told him how Rosetta was the happiest she’d ever been since our marriage was arranged, and how we were so in love...even when the words were coming out of my mouth, I didn’t believe them. That’s when your father became cross with me.”

Milliana chuckled, walking closer to him. “Father was probably angry that you said those things before he could.”

“Hmph.”

Her fingers brushed his arm. “Come on, now,” her voice became softer, “Don’t let Lord Mikk make you feel so low about yourself. I seem to remember hearing the ladies in town bemoan the fact that you’re soon to be a married man. They still do, from time to time.”

Benjamin didn’t reply.

“If it helps, you are twice the man to me than Lord Mikk could ever be.” Milliana purred.

He finally met her gaze. “Am I?”

Her lips stretched into a mischievous smile. “Of course you are, darling.”

Turning so that he was facing her, Benjamin put his hands on Milliana’s shoulders and gently pushed her against the wall. Then, for a moment, he hesitated, looking back toward the door.

“Don’t worry, the gardener left the estate hours ago,” Milliana reassured him.

“Then...let me just do this one thing,” he let her go and snatched his jacket off the peg, quickly throwing it over the one window in the shed.

When he turned back to Milliana, she was in the process of undoing the front buttons of her dress. He knelt down in front of her, pushing her hands away, and burying his face into her chest. Leaning her head back against the wall, Milliana sighed contently as Benjamin exposed her breasts to the open air and began to fondle them.

 _Father was right_ , she thought to herself, _this has been quite an exhausting day. I think I’ll have Benjamin relaxed enough by dinner._

She felt Benjamin’s hands travelling up her legs, resting on her bare hips. He looked up at her, surprised. “You’re not wearing a slip…?”

“Of course not. It would get dirty.”

Taking his hands back, he stood. “Turn around. You can grip the shelf, up here.”

“Oh, very well. But for pity’s sake, take your time. If someone looks out a window and sees this place shaking, we’ll be caught for sure.”

Benjamin nodded, unbuckling his belt. Milliana turned around, lifting her skirt up past her hips, and placed her hands on the shelf. If there was one complaint she had about the man’s performance, it was that he always seemed to be in a hurry. It was as though he didn’t think about her needs, at all.

This time, however, she was more than pleased that he actually listened to her for once.

**TWO DAYS LATER**

The sky was quickly becoming overcast as Tyki walked along the street, cutting through the town square. He noticed that there were still people dallying about outside, window shopping or gathering in groups to gossip, which was odd for a Sunday. Half of the businesses were closed, and only a handful of relatively uninteresting stores were open to the public. The Holdings Firm was closed today, as well. Taking advantage of the free time, Tyki had decided that morning to go into town and do a bit of investigating into Rosetta’s activities on the day she went missing.

In truth, he practically had a wild hare up his ass over the whole thing. After leaving the Rollin’s estate two days before, they had intercepted Chief Boriga on the road, just outside of town. Despite Tyki and Wisely still discreetly fuming at each other, they managed to put it aside and attempt to work over the chief together.

_“I’m sorry, Lord Mikk, but I cannot release any details of this investigation to you, especially since you have been crossed off as a suspect…” Chief Borgia glared at the two of them, “For now, that is.”_

_Both Tyki and Wisely sat across from him in the car. Road had changed back into her doll form and was sitting in Wisely’s breast pocket with her head poking out so she could silently observe._

_Tyki smiled at him. “Chief, I implore you. Surely you can see things from my perspective. I do still care for Rosetta, and honestly I would like to help bring this matter to a close as quickly as possible, in any way that I can.”_

_“And I truly appreciate that, but that doesn’t change anything. I gave Lord Morgan my word that I would keep this investigation discreet.” Borgia replied, crossing his arms._

_“Discreet from whom? The public or just this family?” Wisely scoffed._

_The old man’s brow furrowed. “I’m certain Lord Morgan didn’t intend to offend anyone specific.”_

_Pausing the conversation, Tyki offered Borgia one of cigarettes and lit it for him. Borgia accepted it, muttering something about it being a “fancy” brand, and took a long drag before speaking again. “All I can say is this, Lord Mikk; I seriously doubt that this investigation will result in anything at all.”_

_Tyki lit his own cigarette. “What makes you say that, Chief?”_

_“With Rosetta’s mental state right now, there isn’t a whole lot of evidence that would allow me to draw any sort of theories as to how she came to be wandering around in the forests. The knock to the head undoubtedly resulted from Rosetta crashing her car in the ditch. Why, we just passed the crash sight a moment ago!” he chuckled._

_Tyki quickly glanced at Wisely and saw that his eyes were glowing; he was using just the smallest bit of his power to loosen Borgia up a bit. Clearly, Borgia had not noticed a thing. Tyki looked back at the old man, who now had his cigarette hanging out of his mouth._

_“Now the only thing that puzzles me is why she crashed her car in the first place. But my men went over every inch of the crash site, and found absolutely nothing of use. We are still looking over the car, of course.” he paused for a moment, his expression fading slightly._

_Tyki glanced at Wisely again, anxiously._

_“Still...I don’t think much in terms of foul play occurred that night. I will more than likely chock things up to random happenstance. It wouldn’t exactly be an unwarranted explanation.” Borgia took the cigarette from his mouth and stubbed the butt into the ashtray in the armrest, “Mental illness runs in the family, after all.”_

_Tyki’s smile faded. “I beg your pardon, Chief?”_

_“Oh come now, Lord Mikk, surely you’ve noticed something off about that whole family. Don’t get me wrong, Lord Morgan is my oldest friend, but when he married his late wife, that’s when the trend started. Her eventual slip from sanity is what caused her to commit suicide. And you know,” he leaned toward Tyki, a manic grin forming on his face, “between the two of us, I get the feeling that she passed it onto her daughters. They both hide it well, but Milliana likes to vent her frustration by screwing the help. Y’know...she’s not saving herself for marriage, if you catch my meaning.”_

_Both men said nothing._

_“And what do you think this has to do with Rosetta’s predicament?” Tyki asked, feigning calm as best he could._

_Borgia leaned back in his seat, throwing his hands up. “Honestly, I always thought she’d be the normal one. But she began acting out after their mother killed herself. You may or may not know this, but Rosetta would spend her free time just wandering around town or around the grounds of the estate in a daze. Like I said, though, she hid it well. She slipped very easily into the role of the businesswoman her father wants her to be. I imagine her courtship with you was another way of acting out for her.”_

_Tyki’s hands were clenched into fists. “Those are some rather bold accusations to make, Chief.”_

_“Bold? Come on, now, Lord Mikk! You should know how reliable the gossip is in this town.”_

_The car drove past the turnoff into town and kept going up the road towards the Mikk estate._

_“Here now, where are we going?” Borgia looked out the window, alarmed, “What are you trying to pull here?!” he turned back to Tyki, his fist raised in the air, but Tyki moved first and caught him by the throat._

_“I think it wise for you to shut your mouth now, Chief.” Tyki snarled._

_Road, who had been silent up until now, flailed her little arms. “Tyki, don’t!”_

_Wisely grabbed Tyki’s arm. “That’s enough.”_

_Furiously, Tyki locked eyes with him, and the two Noah stared each other down. Finally, Tyki’s arm relaxed, releasing the man, and he leaned back in his seat with his head down. Now freed, Borgia scrambled at his side for his gun, but Wisely reached forward and snapped his fingers, and the old man’s entire body went slack and his eyes rolled back in his head.  A golden eye, much like Wisely’s, appeared on his forehead._

_“Alright, let’s talk of the specifics, Chief,” Wisely said, scooting forward in his seat, “Before you started running your fat mouth, you mentioned something about Rosetta’s car. Can you go back to that?”_

_Borgia nodded slowly._

_“Where are you keeping the car?”_

_“In t-the impound lot...by the police station.”_

_“Have your people discovered anything in or on the car?”_

_“Documents...legal documents...I think…”_

_Tyki sat up again. “Of what nature?”_

_“Don’t know yet…”_

_Wisely paused, looking at Tyki. “Any ideas?”_

_Sighing, Tyki lit himself another cigarette. “Possibly something to do with Rosetta’s inheritance once she’s married.”_

_Looking back at Borgia, Wisely asked, “Does Rosetta remember what she was doing before the accident?”_

_Drool dripped from one corner of Borgia’s mouth._

_He snapped his fingers again. “Chief? Stay with me, here, we’re almost done.”_

_“M-Meeting with the family’s lawyer, Durkins...bastard would not tell me what they discussed...I’m the police chief, he’s supposed to obey me…!”_

_“Yes, yes, very good.” Wisely waved his hand, “That’s enough.”_

_Chief Borgia’s eyes closed, and he slumped over in his seat, unconscious._

From what Wisely got from him, he and Tyki both concluded that the lawyer and Rosetta’s car were both good places to start. As Tyki approached the Durkins & McLaughlin law firm, he immediately saw the CLOSED sign in the front window. He walked briskly past the door and down the next alleyway. No one noticed him walk through the wall as though it weren’t really there.

If Wisely was going to use his Noah abilities this week, then so was Tyki.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long hiatus, everyone! Now that I'm done with school, I can actually make some progress on this fic. I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

**Chapter 5**

 

In a perfect scenario, Wisely would have gone to the police impound lot by himself to inspect Rosetta’s car. In a perfect scenario, he would have found everything that he was looking for by now and would have already been on his way home. But if the present situation told him anything, it was that perfection is unattainable. In its place, he was crawling around a warehouse in the impound lot with Jasdero and David, who were anything but helpful. To be safe, he had them keeping an eye out for the police while he looked through the car, but they were either talking to one another, or constantly moving around the room.

“Jasdevi, can you pick a spot and stay there?” he groused, searching for the car keys on the wall, “With all of the racket you’re making, someone’s going to catch us for sure.”

“What racket?” Jasdero asked, pointing his toy gun at his brother, “We’re being totally quiet!”

David nudged him with the muzzle of his own gun, “Ignore him, ‘Dero. Wisely’s in a bad mood.”

“Bad mood? But why?”

“Dunno. Let’s move over there so he doesn’t snap at us again.”

Wisely exhaled loudly through his nostrils, snatching the correct set of keys off of the wall and unlocking the car. The front of the car had sustained heavy damage. Going off of what Chief Borgia hd told them, Rosetta had crashed into a tree. At Tyki’s suggestion, he wore a pair of gloves, so as not to leave prints anywhere on the vehicle. The lock of the glove compartment had been forced open - clearly the police officers didn’t care much about keeping the car intact - and all of the contents had been removed, save for a pair of driving gloves that looked like they’d never been worn. His eyes scanned the dashboard; the glass over the odometer had been cracked in the crash. Looking closely at the steering wheel, he could see dried blood on the black leather.

_ Is that where she hit her head…? _

He paused for a moment, then slid over into the driver’s seat and placed both hands on the wheel. He closed his eyes, and in their place the eyes on his forehead began to glow golden.

**_The car was speeding down the road, sending bits of gravel speeding through the air in each direction. She was trying to keep the car straight, but her vision was being blurred by tears, and her breathing was heavy and uneven. Her bare hands gripped the steering wheel tightly._ **

**_“It’s not true…” she kept repeating, “It’s a lie…!”_ **

**_The wind was blowing fiercely. A storm was approaching, and fast._ **

In time with the vision, Wisely’s hand moved slowly toward the car phone.

**_Rosetta hurriedly punched the numbers on the keypad with her finger, then held the receiver up to her ear._ **

**_After three rings, someone answered. “Mikk residence...may I ask who is calling?”_ **

**_“I need to speak with Lord Mikk, immediately. Tell him it’s Rosetta Rollins. Please hurry, it’s an emergency!”_ **

**“** **_Please wait a moment…”_ **

**_“Hurry...hurry up!”_ **

**_Tyki’s voice came from the other line, “Rosetta? This is unexpected...what’s the matter?”_ **

**_“Oh god...Tyki, I need to see you. I’m on my way to your home, now.”_ **

**_“What on Earth for?_ **

**_“I can’t tell you over the phone...please, I need to see you! It’s urgent!”_ **

**_“Of course...I’ll be waiting for you.”_ **

**_Before she could say goodbye, Rosetta threw the receiver down and violently jerked the wheel to avoid the lights of an approaching car. In her haste, she had not realized that she had been driving down the center of the road. Though she narrowly avoided it, she lost control of the car and went speeding off the road…_ **

Wisely blinked, coming back to reality. He was surprised that the memories were still so vivid, despite the fact that this car had been sitting in the police station since Rosetta disappeared. But he could glean nothing new from them...all it told him was what happened before they saw Rosetta staggering to their mansion, covered in blood and half-conscious.

Getting out, Wisely walked around to the trunk and unlocked it. Once again, the contents had been cleared out. He groaned in frustration.

“What’s wrong now?” David asked, “You find something?”

“No. There’s nothing here,” Wisely replied, unable to hide his anger, “Everything’s been taken out and processed.”

“Processed? So does that mean it’s in another room?”

“Should we go there?” Jasdero stood up straight in excitement, “Let’s go now!”

“Jasdevi, this place is crawling with cops. We can’t risk it - we’re just going to have to wait and see what Tyki finds at the attorney’s office.” Wisely closed the trunk as quietly as he could, despite the fervent desire to slam it, then replaced the keys on the wall, “Come on, we may as well go and wait for him.”

“Where are we going again?”

“The town square, I suppose.” 

Wisely closed his eyes.  **_Road...kindly open a door for us._ **

In an instant, a heart-shaped door appeared in the wall, opening soundlessly. The three Noah quickly walked through it, leading them into the illusion of a darkened hallway, and the door closed behind them, as though it had never even existed. They followed the hallway into a candle lit sitting room, where they found Road sitting in an armchair, her legs hanging over the arm. She was reading a book. 

“No luck, huh?” she asked, not putting the book down.

Wisely removed the gloves from his hands and threw them onto the floor. “No. I told you it was pointless to check the car. Even the vision was pointless.”

She peered at him from behind the book. “You sound awfully pessimistic, today.”

Jasdevi sniggered.

“So we’ll just have to wait and see what Tyki finds. You know that we’ll get to the bottom of this, one way or another.”

Wisely scowled, taking the chair across from her and slumping down. “It would have been more helpful if I could have seen whatever caused Rosetta to drive to the manor in the first place.”

“If we’re lucky, Rosetta will remember.” Road sat up, closing the book and placing it in her lap, “Of course, that’s not really that important to us, either, is it?”

“It is to Tyki.”

“But what good would it really do him?” she leaned forward, “Regardless of what happens, he won’t be able to see Rosetta again.”

Wisely looked at her. “You know how Tyki is. He’s more...emotional than the rest of us. Wouldn’t we be doing him more of a favor by at least giving him some closure?”

“I don’t know, Wisely. How would closure make you feel if we lose this chance to bring Ayumi back?”

He sat up straight, eyes widened in a sudden rush of fury. On the other side of the room, Jasdevi froze, their gazes locked on Wisely and Road. But as quickly as it came, it faded, and Wisely buried his face in his hands. Road got up from her chair and walked toward him, stopping when she was just close enough.

“I’m sorry...I shouldn’t have said that.” she put her hands on his shoulders, “All I meant is that we have to focus on the bigger picture, here. The Clan of Noah is in shambles, Wisely...we can’t afford to lose another like we lost Skin. We don’t even have the Earl to help us, anymore…”

Wisely said nothing, and didn’t move.

Road was about to say something else, when Tyki’s voice suddenly filled the empty space around them.

**_Is anyone there? I’m here in the square, but nobody’s here to meet me._ **

“Wisely and Jasdevi came back just now,” Road replied, “They’re on the way.”

**_Good...any luck on their end?_ **

Wisey sat back up, uncovering his face. “No.”

**_I see. Well, then, I may have found something at the attorney’s office that will explain a few things._ **

* * *

 

“All I’m saying is that you cannot really blame their reaction at breakfast this morning, Rosetta.”

Rosetta pulled her hat lower. “I’m not talking about that. I meant Milliana screaming bloody murder when she barged into my room! She had no reason to be so dramatic!”

Benjamin put his hand on her shoulder as they walked down the street. “I doubt I would have acted differently. Your eyes weren’t that color yesterday.”

They stopped at a street crossing and waited for the traffic to lighten. Rosetta glanced into the window of a nearby shop and looked at her reflection. Two glowing green orbs stared back at her.

“It’s...it’s not even that obvious!” she muttered, following Benjamin across the street, “I mean, my eyes have always been blue-green, haven’t they? Today they’re just a bit more on the green side…”

“Whatever you say, darling,” Benjamin replied in a lofty voice.

She pursed her lips and started straight ahead of them. 

“With any luck, your eyes will be bluer tomorrow.”

Rosetta started walking faster.

“Come on, I say it only in jest!” she heard Benjamin plead.

“I could go the rest of the day without your jests, Benjamin.”

“Where are you going? The haberdashery is right here!”

“You know what? I think I’d prefer to visit the square while you run your errand.”

Benjamin ran up to her, taking her arm. “Listen, I’m sorry, Rosetta. Really, I am...so please, why don’t you come inside with me?”

She fixed him with an exasperated gaze. “I know what you’re doing, Benjamin. My father asked you to keep an eye on me today - it was the only way to convince him to let me leave the house. But I told him, and I’m telling you, I’m  _ fine _ .”

“Are you sure…?”

“I’ll just be in the square, window shopping. You can find me there when you’re finished, okay?”

After another pleading stare, Benjamin gave her a reluctant kiss on the cheek. “I understand, darling. I’ll come find you in a bit.”

Once he had gone inside the haberdashery, Rosetta breathed a sigh of relief and headed towards the square. The doctor had declared her healthy enough to resume her normal routine almost a week ago, but her whole family kept insisting that she stay at home a bit longer. It got to the point where she nearly lost her temper with her father, who had gone out of his way to become more smothering than anything else. Coming back to reality, she tried to focus on the lovely weather as she walked along the street, relishing in her moment of solitude, however brief.

As she was about to round the corner, she spotted the large maple tree that grew at the center of town. Recently, they had built wooden benches around the trunk. She grinned to herself; window shopping could wait. Maybe instead she could sit beneath the maple’s branches and let her mind wander. 

Before she sat down, she glanced around her to make sure there weren’t any passersby in the vicinity. The only thing she dreaded about going out was having to make small talk with the nosier members of town; she was terrified they would ask her for all of the details of her recent experience...knowing them, they wouldn’t take her missing memories as a satisfactory answer.

_ You know...this bench is probably the best decision the town council has made in a long time, _ she thought, finally taking a seat.

Then, just as she was feeling comfortable, two or three voices reached her ears. She groaned, preparing for a gaggle of ladies to come into her line of sight. Her hands clenched in her lap, apprehensively.

“But why didn’t you just bring the file with you?”

“Yeah! You have nothing to show, either! Just like us! Hee hee!”

“Use your heads, you lot. I’m not going to just take important legal documents,  _ especially _ these. Now relax, and just listen to me - I have them memorized.”

Rosetta’s eyes widened. Those voices didn’t belong to the local ladies. 

“Now then,” continued the third voice, obviously Tyki’s, “from what I could gather, the file had been drawn up quite some time ago - the signatures at the bottom were Lord Morgan’s and the late Lady Regina. So, they likely had this in place for their children, or at least whomever was the first to be engaged to be married.”

Rosetta froze upon hearing her parents’ names. Should she try to leave, without being noticed? What would they do if they found out she was sitting here?

“I thought the tradition was that the oldest child was to marry first.” replied the second voice. Was that Wisely? “Or has that changed?”

There was the flick of a lighter, and then a pause. Rosetta smelled tobacco.

“Some families follow that tradition, but there are a few that like to break it. People do realize that sometimes it’s the second born that finds...well, something like love, first.” Tyki answered, “Anyway, despite this, Rosetta was the one...thanks to Lord Morgan. But, here’s where it gets interesting. Not too long after her engagement to Benjamin was announced, she came into town to make some alterations - after her mother died, she was legally able to do this, you see.”

“And these alterations are what Borgia told us about? The ones that they found in the car?”

“Afraid so. But, of course, he doesn’t know anything without Durkins there to translate the legalese. From what I read, the original document stated that the family inheritance would be accessible by both husband and wife, once the marriage was legally recognized. These alterations, however, stated that should the husband prove to be unfaithful, the inheritance would go directly to Rosetta.”

Sitting perfectly still, Rosetta remained. She wanted to hear this. Something inside her was...stirring.

There was a moment of silence as this new information was considered. 

“Alright…” Wisely finally spoke, “Okay. So, if Rosetta had a copy of these alterations in her car that night, then maybe that’s what she wanted to show you?”

Tyki didn’t reply.

“But Tyki’s not a lawyer...so why?” the third voice finally spoke again, “Huh? Why?”

“...Maybe she caught Benjamin being unfaithful. Given how she sounded on the phone...she clearly wasn’t anticipating that happening.”

**_“Oh god...Tyki, I need to see you. I’m on my way to your home, now.”_ **

**_“What on Earth for?_ **

**_“I can’t tell you over the phone...please, I need to see you! It’s urgent!”_ **

**_“Of course...I’ll be waiting for you.”_ **

It came like a flash, and for a moment, Rosetta felt very lightheaded. If she hadn’t caught herself, she would have slumped forward and given away her presence. But just as quickly as it came, it was gone. She could not recall it, as hard as she tried.

“No…” she whispered.

Suddenly, the scent of tobacco wafted underneath her nose. She looked up from her lap to see Tyki sitting beside her, smiling, with his cigarette between his teeth.

“Well, aren’t you a nosy parker, Miss Rollins?”

“I...I, uh…”

He took the cigarette in his hand. “Please don’t be alarmed, I’m not angry. I am, however, a tad surprised. I suppose you’re feeling well enough to come into town?”

Still unable to speak, Rosetta merely nodded. 

“That’s a relief. After the incident at your home, I was a tad concerned.”

“I saw you leaving…” she finally replied, “Actually, Tyki...I wanted to ask you something.”

He waited.

“Ever since your brother showed up, I’ve been...having these odd dreams. But it’s strange, because they don’t always feel like dreams.”

“What kind of dreams?”

“...I’ve seen you, and your brother...and your family. I’m speaking with them. But it doesn’t really feel like it’s me.”

He nodded slowly. His expression betrayed nothing.

“I mean, it can’t be. After all, I’ve only ever met you, and Road. I barely got the chance to know Sherrill. I’ve certainly never met Wisely before.”

“No, you haven’t.”

Rosetta looked at him again, almost pleadingly. “Then, what do these dreams mean? It’s like I’m recalling someone else’s life, instead of my own...What’s happening?”

“I’m afraid I can’t say…” Tyki replied, almost sadly, “Or at least, it’s not a good time for me to say.”

She stood. “So you  _ do _ know something.”

“Rosetta, I’m afraid this is all very complicated.”

“You’re telling me!”

“No, no,” he held his hands up, “More so than you realize.”

In frustration, she clenched her lips together, fighting the urge to raise her voice. Taking a deep breath, she glanced around them, making sure no one was around, or at least that no one had noticed them.

“Why can’t you just explain all of this to me?”

“Because, even I can’t give you a conclusive answer. This is troubling for me to understand, as well. It’s going to take time.”

Rosetta crossed her arms. “Time, time...why does everyone keep saying that? ‘It’s going to take time’; ‘It won’t happen immediately’...I swear, it’s driving me crazy!”

Tyki gave a nervous chuckle. 

“Is this funny to you?”

“Not really...oh for God’s sake, Wisely, will you come over here?”

Rosetta whirled around in time to spot a screwed-up face peering at them from behind the tree. He didn’t move toward them. Two other faces popped out on the other side of the tree trunk, both grinning.

“Oh go on, Wisely!”

“Don’t keep the lady waiting! Hee!”

Wisely glared at them, reluctantly coming out from behind the tree and standing by the bench. Rosetta closed the distance between them before he could move again, placing her hands on her hips once she’d stopped.

“So, I suppose it’s your turn to not tell me something?”

He met her gaze. “...Believe me, it’s not because I don’t want to help. We  _ all _ want to understand what happened to you, that night. Still...I’m sure you’ve realized that your accident is changing you.”

Her stern posture faltered, ever so slightly. “Changing me how?”

“How much have you recalled about your accident? Since you heard us talking, I imagine something must have come to you.”

“I...It only happened for a second. I remembered driving down the road and calling Tyki...but that was it.” Rosetta’s arms fell to her sides, “But I don’t remember why I was calling.”

“Or the crash itself?”

She shook her head.

“Until you remember how it all happened, there isn’t a whole lot we can do for you,” Tyki said, standing up and coming alongside her, “I’m sorry…”

Suddenly, she felt tears prickling the backs of her eyeballs. She clenched her fists to keep herself from crying - nothing would get a bystander’s attention faster than a crying woman amongst two strange men.

Then, Tyki put a hand on her shoulder, handing her his handkerchief. “Rosetta…”

Taking it, she dabbed furiously at her eyes. Finally, she managed to speak, though her voice was cracking. “Well...I’m sorry, gentlemen, but it won’t do for my fiance to come by and see you talking to me.”

“Oh, that’s not a problem.” Wisely replied nonchalantly, “He’s in the little curio shop next to the haberdashery, engrossed in a taxidermy encyclopedia.”

“What? Why?”

He shrugged. “It would be inconvenient if he interrupted us. Now, listen...have you ever considered visiting the place where you crashed?”

“No...I don’t know where that is.”

The two brothers looked at each other, then back at Rosetta. “We can take you there, if you like.”


End file.
